Draft:Devon Henry

• Comment: Promotional content needs to be removed. Biographies should present facts not promote the people concerned. Paul W (talk) 17:26, 31 July 2024 (UTC)

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Devon M. Henry is an American entrepreneur and the CEO of Team Henry Enterprises, a general contracting and logistics firm based in Virginia. He is best known for leading the removal of over 24 Confederate monuments across the southern United States, including several Richmond, Virginia. His work has been highlighted in numerous national publications and media outlets for its cultural and historical significance.

Devon M. Henry
Chair of the Board of Visitors - Graduation Ceremony
Alma mater	Norfolk State University
Occupation	Entreprenuer
Known for	Removal of over 24 confederate monuments

Early life and education

Henry was raised in Virginia and attended Norfolk State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in biology. He later pursued a Master of Science in Environmental Management from the University of Maryland.

Career

In 2006, Henry founded Team Henry Enterprises, which has grown into a prominent company in the construction and logistics sectors. In addition to his role at Team Henry Enterprises, Henry serves on the boards of Village Bank and Trust, Bon Secours Hospital System, and Norfolk State University. He was elected Rector of Norfolk State University's Board of Visitors, overseeing institutional governance.

Removal of Confederate monuments

Devon Henry removing the AP Hill Confederate Memorial in Richmond, Virginia

Devon Henry became a prominent figure in the movement to remove Confederate monuments following the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent nationwide protests against racial injustice. In June 2020, Henry's company was contracted to remove several Confederate statues in Richmond, Virginia, including the statue of General Stonewall Jackson on Monument Avenue. and the statue of Robert E. Lee, which had stood in Richmond for over a century. The removal of this monument was a significant event, symbolizing a shift in the public's attitude towards Confederate symbols. Most notably because in 1890, John Mitchell, the editor of the black newspaper the Richmond Planet, wrote, "The Negro…put up the Lee Monument, and should the time come, will be there to take it down."

Other prominent and historical statues removed by Henry includes the Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery and the Robert E Lee statute in Charlottesville, which gained notoriety after the Unite the Right Rally. Four years after the rally, Henry's company removed the statue.

The removal of these statues was met with both praise and controversy. Supporters saw it as a necessary step towards addressing the legacy of racism in the United States, while opponents viewed it as an erasure of history.

Media coverage and Death Threats

Removal of Confederate monuments has been extensively covered by major national media outlets, shedding light on the logistical challenges and cultural significance of these efforts in the early 2020's.

With the statue removals' significant coverage by national media, Henry and his family became the target of death threats and became subjects in an FBI investigation.